Wire-stretcher.



No. 646,925. Patented Apr. 3, I900.

' J. C. BAKER.

WIRE STRETGHER.

(no Model.) (Application filed Oct. 18, 1899.)

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ers, of which the following is a specificatiom 'Nrrn rnrns PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES C. BAKER, OF BROKEN BOW, NEBRASKA.

WIRE-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 646,925, dated April 3, 1900.

Application filed October 18, 1899. Serial No. 733,984. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES C. BAKER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Broken Bow, in the county of Custer and State of, Nebraska, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementin VVire-Stretch- My invention relates to an improvement in fence-wire tighteners, the object being to provide a simple, strong, and e-lfectual hand operating device for tightening the wires of wire fences and with the foregoing object in view my invention consists in a lever-supporting brace adapted to embrace the side of a post, in combination with a hand-lever pivoted to the lever-supportin g brace and provided with locking means and toothed jaws adapted to embrace the wire simultaneously on both sides of the post and stretch it preparatory to the lever being looked, after which the wire is fastened by attaching a supplemental bindingwire thereto.

My invention still further consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts,which will be more fully described hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in perspective, showing my improved wire-tightener in the position of tightening a fence-wire upon a post. Fig. 2 is a View showing the wire of the fence when tightened. Fig. 3 is a view of the several parts of the wire-tightener dismembered, and Fig. A is a view of the wire-twister.

A represents a lever-supporting brace, the

same being made of malleable iron or other metal in the general form of the arc of a circle by preference, it being spread and concaved at each end, as at 1 1, to embrace the side of a fence-post above and below the wire to be tightened without marring or defacing the post. At or near the center of this leversupporting brace a hole 2 is formed for a purpose to be mentioned.

B indicates a hand-lever. This lever is flattened at one end and provided with a series of ratchet-shaped teeth 3 3. Also it is furnished with a keyhole-aperture 4;. A pair of links 5 5, provided with similar keyhole-apertures 6 6 to the one l in the lever B, are adapted to be locked to said lever in the following way: A pin C, provided with three feathers 7, 8, and 9, is passed through the hole 2 in the lever-supporting brace A, thence into aperture 4 in the lever, with the feather 7 in the restricted end of aperture 4:, thus locking the two against turning movement with respect to each other. Then the links 5 5 are placed on the ends of the pin 0 outside of the leversupporting brace at right angles to the lever B, with the feathers 8 and 9 in the restricted portions of the keyhole-apertures 6 6 of said links, after which the ends of the pin 0 may be upset or otherwise headed to retain it in position. As shown in Fig. 3, thepin G is constructed with an intervening round portion between the feathers. This portion 10 is adapted to turn in the lever-supporting brace, the hole 2 thereof constituting a bearing therefor. Thus it will be seen that the links, pin, and lever are all assembled and locked together, while the pin is capable of rocking as occasion may require in the leversupporting brace.

Toothed bars or jaws D D are pivotally connected With the outer ends of the links, their teeth being adapted to engage the wire on either side of the' post where the wire is being tightened.

A locking-pawl E is pivoted to the leversupporting brace, by preference below the pivotal support of the lever, in position to look into the teeth 3 3 of the lever, the weighted lower end of the pawl acting to normally throw it into locked engagement with the teeth, so that it requires no manipulation to cause it to lock, and the pawl is so arranged and constructed that it can be readily disengaged from the teeth, when occasion may require it, either by taking hold of it or placing the toe of the boot beneath it.

The lever-supporting brace is of sufficient length to afiord ample space for placing a supplemental wire, as 12, in position to hold it tightly in place. .The letter F indicates an approved form of wire-twister for fastening this supplemental wire 12.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that the most effectual device for the purpose is provided, as it is light and simple,-

ity. It is needless to mention that the tightener is easily manipulated and quickly applied in place and is effectual in accomplishing its work.

It is evident that slight changes might be resorted to in the form and arrangement of the several parts described without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the exact construction herein set forth; but,

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a lever-supporting brace concaved at its ends to embrace the side of a post, of a lever pivoted to the lever-supporting brace, links extending at right angles to the lever, toothed bars pivotally connected with the links and means for locking the lever.

2. The combination with a lever-supporting brace, of a lever pivoted thereto and provided with a toothed segment, links extending from the lever, toothed bars pivotally coners at an angle to the intermediate feather and provided with a pair of bearings inter= Vening between the outer and intermediate feathers, links provided with keyhole-apertures adapted to receive the feathered outer ends of the pin, toothed bars pivoted to the outer ends of the links, and means for engaging the teeth of the lever for locking the lat ter in position.

JAMES C. BAKER.

In presence of C. H. ZAOHRY, A. D. JOHNSON. 

